Disability in the American Community Survey

Americans with disabilities are one of the largest minority groups in the United States. Although the US does not have universal healthcare, Americans with disabilities can generally find adequate levels of subsidized support from a variety of sources, generally at the regional level. While most rural areas — especially in the Great Plains region — have little or no government-organized medical support infrastructure for the permanently disabled indigent population, most major urban centers have healthcare systems. The rights of Americans with disabilities are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

According to the Disability Status: 2000 - Census 2000 Brief approximately 20% of Americans have one or more diagnosed psychological or physical disability:

Census 2000 counted 49.7 million people with some type of long lasting condition or disability. They represented 19.3 percent of the 257.2 million people who were aged 5 and older in the civilian non-institutionalized population -- or nearly one person in five..."

This percentage varies depending on how disabilities are defined. According to Census Brief 97-5, "About 1 in 5 Americans have some kind of disability, and 1 in 10 have a severe disability."

The United States Census Bureau is legally charged with developing information on the type and prevalence of disability in the population. The American Community Survey (ACS) is a primary source of information on the type and prevalence of disability in the US. The primary purpose of collecting ACS data on disability is to help the US Congress determine the allocation of federal funds and inform policies. It is also used to identify the characteristics of the disabled population of the United States. Determining the number and geographical location of people with disabilities is crucial for policies aimed at providing services like public transportation.

ACS does not directly measure disability There are other smaller survey studies that provide some insight on disability in the US. While studies like the National Health Interview Survey the Health and Retirement Study, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study are used to infer valuable disability-related health characteristics in the US population. While responses to these items are commonly refer to as "disability", it could be argued the —it uses self- and proxy-reports to evaluate perceived ability to perform functional tasks. Existing publications have delineated details on the US population regarding disability by using information from the ACS. Publications have also outlined issues with disability data in the ACS. Research on disability continues to improve, and potential remedies are found for current methodological challenges. Because of the uniqueness, regarding federal funding and policy, researchers from various fields (e.g., sociology, epidemiology, and government) make wide use of ACS data to better understand disability in the US.

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